“He really broke into your apartment?” Olivia asked, looking concerned.
“Less broke in and more decided to use his old key. I guess I should have had the locks changed long ago,” Eva admitted.
“Why is he back?” Olivia sucked in a breath. ‘Do you think he knows? About the…you know what?”
“No. There’s no way he could know,” Poppy said, picking up the mug from the side table. “Here. Drink your herbal tea before it gets cold.”
“The only way he could know is if someone told him,” Eva pointed out.
“Who would tell him?” Olivia asked.
When Eva raised a brow and leveled a stare on Olivia, her friend’s eyes opened wide.
“You think Wyatt might have?” Olivia guessed.
Eva lifted one shoulder. “It crossed my mind.”
“It wasn’t Ethan. He hasn’t stopped ranting about how we should burn that will since we found it,” Poppy informed them.
“What about William?” Olivia asked.
Eva drew in a breath. “I haven’t figured your father-in-law out completely yet. I don’t think he’d tell, but I’m still not sure how he’s going to vote.”
“What do you mean vote?” Olivia’s eyes widened.
“You don’t know?” Eva asked.
“I don’t know either.” Poppy turned to Eva. “Spill.”
“Linc told me William is going to put it to a family vote about whether to give the snake his share or not.” Eva held back the fact that Linc had come to her apartment to deliver that news in person. As well as that some physical activity ensued after.
“Well I’ll vote no to that,” Olivia said with conviction.
“Sorry. Boys only.” Eva shook her head.
“Sexist men…” Poppy mumbled.
Olivia drew in a breath, then winced, rubbing her hand over her distended belly.
Poppy didn’t miss the move either. She jumped on their friend like she was an ER doctor. “What’s wrong? Are you in pain? When was the last time you took your blood pressure? Are you having contractions?”
“No. I don’t know. I just feel funny…”
“I’m calling your doctor,” Poppy declared.
Olivia leveled a stare on her friend. “You don’t have her number.”
“The hell I don’t,” Poppy declared, whipping out her cell phone.
Eva smiled. “I like this new assertive Poppy.”
Scowling, Olivia said, “I’m not sure I do.”
“Relax, little mama. I’m gonna handle everything with the snake. You just concentrate on cooking that baby Wilder bun until she’s done. Okay?”
Olivia’s gaze met Eva’s. “What are you going to do?”
“I’m taking care of it.” Eva braced for the inquisition. For them trying to make her swear to not break the law or something.
What she didn’t expect was Olivia to nod and say, “Okay.”
“Okay?” Eva repeated, confused by her friend’s easy compliance.
Olivia dipped her head again. “Squash that cockroach like the bug he is.”
Eva nodded. “I will. I promise.”
Poppy had walked out into the hall but she was back now. “I got the receptionist. The doctor will be calling you back on your phone. You tell her everything you’re feeling. Okay?”
“Do I have a choice?” Olivia asked.
“No.” Arms folded, Poppy shook her head.
“All right. Fine.”
“’Livia! Can I have cookies?” Darcy, like the whirlwind she was, blew into the room.
“We have cookies?” Olivia asked, looking at the two adults.
Eva raised one hand. “My fault. Sorry. Rosie waylaid me in the parking lot with a bag of cookies to bring over.”
Olivia sighed. “I love Rosie, but she’s determined to make me fatter than I already am.”
“You’re not fat. You’re pregnant,” Poppy defended.
“If you let little miss here eat them, you don’t have to worry about you eating the cookies, I suppose,” Eva suggested.
Olivia let out another big breath. “Okay. You can have two. No more. Promise?”
“Promise,” Darcy agreed at top volume, as usual. Before she turned for the door, she said, “Auntie Eva, Mister Bingley likes you.”
Eva glanced down. She hadn’t noticed the black and white dog had rested his chin on her knee as she sat in the chair near the bed. She’d been mindlessly rubbing his head and ears without even realizing it.
“I like Bingley too,” Eva replied. It was kind of soothing, petting the dog. She didn’t have the patience for meditation, but this was probably as good.
“You should get a dog of your own,” Darcy suggested.
“I did always want one when I was younger. Like your age. It just never worked out.” She shrugged.
Her mother could barely take care of the two of them. Never mind an animal too.
“You never had one? Ever?” Darcy asked wide-eyed.
“No. Never.” No pets at all. No dog or cat or even a goldfish. Moving them away from the topic that was quite honestly, depressing her, she said, “You’d better go get those cookies before your uncles eat them all.”
Without another word, a wide-eyed Darcy spun and took off running out the door.
Phew. At least the girl was off the dog conversation. If only she could reassure Olivia and Poppy about the Emmett situation and get them to stop obsessing over him as easily.
After Darcy had left the room in pursuit of her cookies Olivia raised her gaze to Eva. “I can’t believe I’m asking this and I don’t know why I care but… what does he look like?”
Poppy, looking interested, turned to face Eva as she waited for an answer.
Eva glanced between the two. “He’s short. Thinning, light-colored hair. He looks nothing like the rest of the Wilders.”
“Meaning he might not be a blood Wilder?” Olivia asked.
Eva shrugged. “Anything’s possible.”
Poppy’s eyes narrowed. “It doesn’t matter if he’s a blood Wilder or not, we can’t let that cockroach get half of everything.”
“I’m working on that.” When she raised her gaze, she found Poppy’s eyes on her.
“Eva, you do whatever you have to do.”
This was certainly a change. “Usually you two are acting like I’m some sort of super villain.”
Poppy tipped her head to the side. “It wasn’t until now that I had opportunity to be grateful one of my best friends happens to be a super villain.”
Olivia frowned. “You aren’t though, are you? A super villain?”
“Nope.” Eva shook her head and Olivia looked immensely relieved.
Sometimes it was just kinder to give the ones you loved the answer they needed to hear.